Govt unveils legislation to ban alcohol sales to people under 18

The government has unveiled plans for new legislation that would prohibit the sale and supply of alcoholic products to people aged under 18, part of efforts to curb underage drinking.

Under the proposal announced Wednesday, retail outlets are required to put up notices that minors are barred from buying alcoholic products.

If the shops fail to display the sign, they could face a fine of up to HK$25,000. If the outlets are found guilty of selling alcohol to underage people, they will be fined as much as HK$50,000.

Ordering of alcoholic products online, by mail or telephone will also be governed under the new law. The sellers will have to obtain the declaration of age requirements from the buyers before proceeding with the sale.

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department said the new legislation will have a deterrent effect and that it would fill the gaps under the existing laws, which only ban the consumption of alcohol by minors at licensed venues but not the sale of such products.

The bills will be gazetted on Friday and submitted to the Legislative Council for approval on June 21.

The Department of Health will be responsible for the formulation of detailed guidelines.

Authorities noted that drinking problems among minors is a growing concern, with one survey suggesting that over 40 percent of primary four to six students and over 60 percent of secondary school students have tried drinking, RTHK reports.

The Hong Kong Bar & Club Association, meanwhile, said the new laws are unfair to bars.

The industry association pointed out that any violation by a bar on the sale of alcohol to minors could result in the revoking of the liquor license, whereas a convenience store would only face much lighter punishment for the same offence, according to Ming Pao Daily.

The rule of law in Hong Kong has come under severe and imminent threat in recent years as opposition politicians have been trying to place their own political “perceptions” above our legal profession, our...

Two Hong Kong men were rescued from a mountain in central Hokkaido in Japan over the weekend after they landed themselves in trouble during a ski expedition. The skiers, aged 45 and 57, were rescued...

The first phase of the HK$36 billion Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link (CWB) opened on Sunday after nearly nine years of construction, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reports. The 4.5-kilometer highway, including...

Technology and the economy are much intertwined nowadays. In December, I attended two conferences on economic trends and prospects for technology. One was the Hong Kong Economic Summit 2019 organized by Hong Kong Economic...

A Hong Kong court on Thursday sentenced two women to jail after they pleaded guilty to a charge of mistreating a four-year-old girl who had been in their care. District Court judge Ho Chun-yiu handed...

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor rolled out a fresh package of welfare benefits for senior citizens who will be affected by the government’s decision to raise the age requirement for eligibility under the Comprehensive...

The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) said last week that over 80 government bureaus and departments had published their first annual open data plans before the end of 2018. Another 650...